In 1757, British admiral John Byng was executed for "not doing his utmost" to prevent a French victory at the Battle of Minorca the year before.

This incident would be long forgotten in the annals of dusty maritime lore had not the brilliant French satirist Voltaire put it in a novel with the dry comment, "It is it is good to kill an admiral from time to time, in order to encourage the others."

Reid's move to encourage his starters after their sluggish-at-best performance in Thursday night's preseason game with the Pittsburgh Steelers was to bench one of them -- left tackle Demetress Bell -- and hope everybody else noticed.

"I just came in today and (offensive line) coach Howard Mudd said, 'You're in'," said offensive tackle King Dunlap, who moved into the No. 1 spot vacated by Bell.

It's certainly true that the Eagles offensive line hasn't been outstanding in practice and wasn't especially effective against Pittsburgh. But there had not been an inkling previously to Saturday that Bell's performance hadn't been adequate or that he'd been worse than anybody else.

"I guess the coaches saw something they didn't like," said Bell politely if quietly after Saturday's afternoon session of training camp at Lehigh University. "Now it's my job to do what I need to do at the No. 2 spot."

Dunlap, a 6-9, 330-pound giant whose height may not be an advantage against quicker defensive ends, seemed to play about as well as Bell had earlier in Saturday's sessions but that's not really the point.

Reid went on about how Dunlap "has been with us a long time" and "deserves a chance" and even rather improbably suggested the switch was "a scheduled move," but then got to the heart of the matter.

Asked if he hopes Bell takes the move as a challenge, Reid said, "I think, naturally, you do that. Just naturally, you don't want anybody (else) being on the ones (starters). You want to be the guy on the ones."

Message to some others on the ones: If you want to stay there, shape up or else the next "scheduled" move out of the first team could be yours. That's not a bad message to send in mid-August to a team in a camp where, seemingly, very few starting jobs are being contested.

"Mike can do everything but take snaps," Reid said. "He can participate in 7-on-7 drills and other things but it will two or three weeks before he can take snaps."

Reid, by his standards, was then effusive in his praise of Foles.

"He's progressing," Reid said. "He did some nice things. I mentioned about keeping your eyes down the field on the one long ball to (Damaris) Johnson where he had to move and then make the throw. That just came very natural to him. He felt the pressure, he scooted to the right, kept his eyes downfield, knew he had the receiver and gave him a catchable ball. Again, Damaris did a good job of getting open too. That was a heck of a route."

Maybe Foles has done enough nice things to be the Lou Gehrig (when he replaced Wally Pipp and went on to a Hall of Fame baseball career) of Eagles camp 2012 and take Kafka's job. Foles' first two NFL passes went for touchdowns of 44 and 70 yards Thursday, showing off a howitzer of an arm that Kafka lacks plus that undefinable but critical trait known as "moxie."

Some have it, some don't. Foles seems to have it, in spades.

The body language of the two quarterbacks Saturday suggested that maybe Reid would have made the switch even without the injury -- the usual affable Kafka looking tense and declining interviews while Foles appeared cool, calm and collected, totally at ease.

"I feel really comfortable," said the 6-foot-6, 243-pound Arizona product. "In different drills and different things, there is a mixture of different players. I’ve been with different O-lineman. Whether it’s in the cafeteria, in the dorms, or in the meeting rooms, just getting to know the guys (is important) because when you’re in the huddle, they already know you and you’re all familiar. I feel really comfortable with all the guys."

"I believe I am, yes," he said. "I don't want to and I am not saying I want to, Michael's an amazing quarterback I love to watch and learn from but if I am in that position I've got to be ready. It's my job as a quarterback always to be ready."

The comment has been made that Kafka "might be the ideal No. 3 quarterback but not a No. 2," referring to his knowledge of Reid's system and his grasp of the offense. Foles appears to have all the physical tools and while tossing TD passes against third-stringers doesn't make anybody Johnny Unitas, it may well make them Vick's backup.

Reid didn't like what he saw Thursday from his starters and his moves Saturday sent a message: the games are here, the season is nearing, it's time to switch into high gear. And if you can't, Reid will find someone who will.

Time, in short, to encourage the others to start getting the job done.